Here are the top local sports stories from 2022.
This first list is NOT an opinion piece. These are the top 11 local sports stories from the year - with the most views on our website.
Pittsburg 12U pitcher Gabe Brown throws a no-hitter in the team’s 7-0 win over Kearney, Nebraska in the Little League Midwest Regional tournament in Indianapolis.
Former Pitt State linebacker/defensive end Kaden Roy declares for the 2022 NFL Draft, after posting 68 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss and 2 sacks in his senior season for the Gorillas.
This was an exciting time of the season. We had six local teams headed to state baseball and softball tournaments. Colgan, Columbus, Girard and Iola for baseball - and Colgan and Frontenac for softball.
Frontenac softball would claim the 3A state championship, while Columbus baseball finished as 3A state runner-up.
Kim Anderson announced in March that he would be retiring after five seasons leading the Pitt State men's basketball program.
Anderson was 64-76 overall as Pitt State's head coach. He led the team to back-to-back winning seasons in his first two years with the program in 2018 and 2019.
This is one of the coolest stories I've seen in my time here. Parsons 11-year-old Alex Hicks, AKA Baby GOAT, talks to us about reaching #1 in the cornhole national rankings.
Webb City Little League rallies from a 4-1 deficit against Sioux Falls, South Dakota to win 5-4 in the opening round of the Midwest Regional Tournament.
Webb City scored four runs in the 6th to finish off their comeback.
I'm not going to lie, I saw this and wondered "Really? A high school football scoreboard is one of our most viewed stories of the year?"
Then I realized that particular week was round one of the playoffs in both Kansas and Missouri. And I remembered everybody around here loves their football team. Then it made sense.
I'm still shocked this scoreboard had this many views, though.
This was late in the year, but a big story for local high school football. Carl Junction head football coach Doug Buckmaster announced his retirement on December 14th.
Buckmaster spent 10 seasons leading the Bulldogs, going 71-43 overall.
Tom Nickelson announced his resignation as Pittsburg High School's head football coach in January 2022. He was 71-36 overall in 11 seasons leading the Purple Dragons.
“It really is just the burnout factor for me, and the kids deserve better than that,” Nickelson told us after his announcement, “I don’t feel like I can give it everything I’ve got all the time, like I have for the last 11 years. I’ve been 100% all-in since I’ve been here, but it’s just time for a change.”
Former Independence CC head football coach Kiyoshi Harris announces in January 2022 he is leaving Indy to become the Director of Player Personnel and High School Relations under Boise State HC Andy Avalos.
Harris spent four seasons at Independence CC, serving as an assistant coach under Jason Brown for two years before being named head coach.
He led the Pirates to an 8-2 overall record and a KJCCC championship in his first season in 2019.
This was the biggest local sports story of the year in 2022. It wasn't really close.
Pittsburg State announced Jeff Boschee as the school's next men's baketball head coach in March 2022. Boschee had spent the previous 8 years at Missouri Southern - where he was 151-86 and led the Lions to three straight NCAA Division II national tournament appearances from 2018-2020.
OUR PICKS
There are obviously more big local sports stories from 2022 that aren't on the above list. Here are some of the biggest local sports stories of 2022 - in our opinion.
If you feel like I've missed something big, shoot me an email (jlenard@koamtv.com).
This was a sweet one for Pittsburg State for multiple reasons. The Gorillas beat Washburn 37-23 to claim the outright MIAA title. It's their first MIAA championship since 2014. It was also their first win over Washburn since 2016.
Missouri Southern freshman guard Lacy Stokes is named the MIAA Freshman of the Year - as well as the MIAA Player of the Year. She led the team to its first MIAA regular season championship in program history. Head coach Ronnie Ressel was also named the MIAA Coach of the Year.
Frontenac softball won the 3A state championship in Manhattan in May. They beat Santa Fe Trail 10-0 in the semifinals on championship day, before beating Prairie View 7-1 in the state championship.
He's one of the best to ever do it. John Roderique announced his retirement as Webb City's head football coach in early December 2022. He led the Cardinals to 13 of their 16 state championships. Check out our full conversation with Roderique on his decision HERE.
The Pitt State men's track and field team brings home the Division II outdoor national championship in May.
Louis Rollins won an individual national championship in the 110m hurdles, while Braylen Brewer won the individual title in the 400m.
“Words cant describe how good these guys are,” head coach Kyle Rutledge told us when the team returned from Allendale, Michigan, "We knew we had something special at the beginning of the year. These guys… wow. The leadership they have and what they did this weekend is just unbelievable.”
Former Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill comes to Joplin in June 2022 to host a youth football camp.
The Seneca Indians beat McDonald County 28-21 to claim the Big 8 West conference championship.
The St. Mary's Colgan girls golf team claimed its third consecutive state championship in October. They finished 23 strokes clear of 2nd place. Colgan had three players finish in the top five: Ali Scripsick (2nd), Greta Ison (4th) and Ava Scripsick (5th).
Pittsburg High School names Pitt State Hall-of-Famer Josh Lattimer its next head football coach in March 2022. Lattimer would go on to lead the Purple Dragons to a 7-4 record in his first season and an appearance in the 5A state quarterfinals.
The Columbus High School baseball team went on a run in May and finished as the 3A state runner-up in Manhattan. The Titans finished the season with a 22-3 overall record and their best finish in program history.
The Columbus High School softball team defeats eventual 3A state champion Frontenac 11-2 in game two of a double-header to claim their first CNC championship in program history.
Diamond tops Skyline 6-4 to claim the Missouri Class 2 softball championship, their first state title in program history.
The St. Mary's Colgan girls basketball team finished off a perfect 18-0 regular season in February 2022.
Missouri Southern catcher Tommy Stevenson is selected by the Oakland A's in the MLB Draft, going in the 19th round (#574 overall)
Pitt State All-American Garrett McGowan is selected in the 17th round of the MLB Draft (#523 overall) by the Houston Astros.
Joplin's Donovyn Fowler claims state championships in the triple jump and long jump, while his teammate Donovahn Watkins earns a state championship in shot put.
I've never seen anything like this before. I'm glad I was there. Columbus standout Kolt Ungeheuer cleared 6 feet, 10 inches in his first ever high school high jump event - smashing the school record by six inches.
Johnny Mallatt is one of the nicest guys I've met since I started working here, and he's a fantastic football coach. Mallatt announces his retirement in April 2020 after 50 years on the sideline.
Missouri Southern introduces Sam McMahon as the school's next men's basketball head coach in April 2022. He is currently in the middle of his first season leading the Lions.
Pitt State's Kyla Davis earns a pole vault national championship in her freshman season, clearing 13 feet, 7.25 inches.